Jackson Gibbons, one of the most accomplished basketball coaches in the United Kingdom, will spearhead a team of elite coaches for the highly anticipated “Reach one Teach One – Building Bridges to Success” summer basketball camp in Montserrat.
According to a release from the non-profit group, the camp, scheduled from July 17th to 28th, 2023, presents an exclusive opportunity for boys and girls aged 7 to 24 to receive top-tier professional basketball training.
Coach Gibbons, whose father originated from Montserrat, expressed his excitement, stating, “This is a significant moment for me as I’ve always aspired to contribute to my father’s birth country. I am thrilled to be able to give back in this way.”
Apart from providing valuable training, the charitable basketball camp aims to identify exceptional basketball talent on the island, with the intention of recruiting promising players to prestigious academies in London, UK. The camp will also prioritize the development of attitudes and character, emphasizing these aspects on a daily basis.
Vachel Murrain, the local camp coordinator for Reach One Teach One, acknowledges the immense value Coach Gibbons brings to the basketball camp. Murrain states, “Coach Gibbons’ wealth of experience is instrumental to the growth and progress of the sport in Montserrat.”
Coach Gibbons boasts an impressive track record, having secured the National Basketball Coach of the Year title 11 times in the UK, along with four National Basketball Championships, throughout his illustrious 18-year playing career. Moreover, he has played a pivotal role in assisting over 150 young players in obtaining athletic scholarships for higher education in both the UK and USA.
As the founder of the highly acclaimed City of London Academy, CoLA Basketball, Coach Gibbons has established one of the most successful basketball programs in the UK. The program has achieved remarkable milestones, such as being the sole English club with simultaneous back-to-back under 18 male and female teams. In 2017, Coach Gibbons’ basketball program had an extraordinary season, winning five National Championships and garnering two Coach of the Year awards.
After a 13-year hiatus, the Reach One Teach One – Building Bridges to Success basketball camp is returning to Montserrat. For the past 16 years, the camp has been held in St. Kitts. The Government of Montserrat, through the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, as well as the Montserrat Basketball Amateur Association (MABA), has pledged support for the camp.
Notably, the camp has played a vital role in securing an athletic scholarship for Jhordan Ryan, a promising basketball player from Montserrat, who will be attending Iowa Lakes College in Iowa starting August 23rd, 2023.
The campers are not required to pay any fees, as all the coaches generously volunteer their time and expertise to support the development of basketball talent.
